Chain – New Alcatraz Review

The moment the listener hits the play button, they are welcomed by Dark & Bass, an opening track that features glitchy sounds, intense beats, and powerful vocals.

As the listener embarks on their journey with the second track, Blood-Hell (out-of-control), along with the remaining four pieces, this band may not appeal to everyone. However, if you enjoy alternative, unconventional, experimental, dark-aggressive, electro-instrumental music infused with punk, metal, and hard rock influences, then this is definitely for you.

Chain‘s album, New Alcatraz, offers a vibrant musical journey featuring six tracks that together create a powerful anthem filled with fervent energy and emotion. With a total runtime of thirteen minutes, this collection showcases a raw and genuine appeal that sets it apart from more refined productions. By emphasizing the authenticity of the band’s electrifying performances and adopting a spontaneous vibe, the album encapsulates the essence of Chain‘s distinctive sound—a mesmerizing mix of immediacy and unrefined intensity that resonates deeply with its audience.

The album New Alcatraz by Chain offers a tight and coherent structure and arrangement, characterized by fruit of art devilmanship that grabs attention through its guitar play. It is a heavy, riff-based music that incorporates the intensity of punk and the heaviness of metal. The riffs are staccato, short, and aggressive, with a raw, mid-gain tone. There are breakdown-like parts with a mechanical, industrial rhythm. The bass sound is gritty and upfront, probably overdriven or distorted to match the intensity of the guitar.

Meanwhile, the bass guitar riffs are fairly close to the guitar riffs, with the occasional punch-through rhythmic accent while also supporting the groove and providing a solid low-end presence without being buried. The drums are quick and aggressive, with biting snare hits and relentless hi-hat or crash-filled passages. The vocals, which are rough and barked, giving the impression of urgency and confrontation that suits the themes of incarceration and systemic critique perfectly.

Alongside their metal instrumentation, Chain seamlessly blends in electronic textures and samples, crafting a vibrant soundscape that sets them apart from traditional punk and metal groups. This creative method features an array of components such as warped vocal effects, echoing megaphone or radio static sounds, and the strategic use of synth stabs and loops to highlight pivotal moments in their tracks. Additionally, intricate machine-like rhythms are intricately interlaced within their compositions, taking cues from groundbreaking industrial bands like Ministry and Godflesh, resulting in a distinctive and enthralling auditory journey.

Overall, this claustrophobic, dystopian-twisted metal is for you, if you dig dark-alternative metal with a twist — or bands such as KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Godflesh and many more.

The album concludes with its final track, Neon Predators. As the music beats its last beat. We want to give a shoutout to, The Triad Rec for letting us review The moment the listener hits the play button, they are welcomed by Dark & Bass, an opening track that features glitchy sounds, intense beats, and powerful vocals.